TENDER BORDER AND BEDDING PLANTS. 34* 
plants, or clotting about beds carpeted with violas, begonias, 
etc. For the latter purpose the plants have to be grown in 
pots all the winter, pruned into shape in winter, and re- 
potted in March, grown in heat till May, then hardened off 
and planted out later. In September the plants must be 'ifted, 
repotted and placed under glass. P. capensis may be reared 
from seeds sown in heat in early autumn and the seedlings 
grown in heat till May, then planted out, or by seeds sown 
in spring to yield plants for flowering the following year ; also 
by cuttings of young shoots 3 to 4m. long, removed with a 
heel and planted singly in small pots of sandy soil in a 
propagator in spring. A native of S. Africa, and a member 
of the Nat. Ord. Plumbaginaceae. 
Portulacca (Purslane; Sun Plant). — A genus of charm- 
ing half-hardy annuals, natives of Brazil, and belonging to 
the Nat. Ord. Portulaccaceae. The only species we shall refer 
to here is P. grandiflora, which grows 6in. high and bears 
crirpson-purple flowers in summer. Of this there are numerous 
varieties or strains which far eclipse the species in beauty. 
Thus there is alba, white; aurea, orange-yellow; caryophyl- 
loides. rose, streaked with crimson ; rosea, rose or pink ; 
splendens, crimson-purple; Thellusonii, orange-scarlet; Thor- 
burnii, yellow ; and flore-pleno, a double-flowered strain. A 
mixed packet will yield a wonderful variety of colours. Portu- 
laccas are fleshy-leaved plants, and specially adapted for 
growing in dry sunny borders or beds or on rockeries. Here 
they will flower most profusely, but they will do better still 
in richer soil providing the situation be sunny. Best grown 
in masses. Seeds may be sown in sandy soil in gentle heat 
or on a hot bed in March, the seedlings being transplanted 
into boxes, gradually hardened off and planted out 4 to 6in. 
apart late in May. Or seeds may be sown thinly later in May 
where the plants are required to grow, and then thinned out 
later. The flowers open in bright sunshine only. 
Ricinus (Castor Oil Plant). — The Castor Oil Plant (R. 
communis) is a half-hardy annual, a native of tropical Africa 
and a member of the Spurge order (Euphorbiaceae). It grows 
four or more feet high, and has large palmate, glaucous green 
leaves and reddish stems. The plant is grown for the sake of 
its foliage only, and is used for intermixing with other foliage 
plants for summer bedding. There are several superior 
varieties of it, as Gibsonii, purple-bronzy foliage; Duchess of 
Edinburgh, bronzy-red foliage ; sanguineus, reddish-purple 
foliage ; and zanzibarensis, with leaves of various tints. They 
are easily reared from seeds sown singly in small pots of light 
loam in a temperature of 75 to 85 deg., the seedlings being 
